Bush, racism, and theft. T. Burke ----- Original Message ----- From: Fight Back <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 12:21 PM Subject: [FightBack] [FB] Protests Rain On Bush Parade! > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-~> > eGroups is now Yahoo! Groups > Click here for more details > http://us.click.yahoo.com/kWP7PD/pYNCAA/4ihDAA/1uNVlB/TM > ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> > > ------------------------------------ > FIGHT BACK NEWS SERVICE > http://www.fightbacknews.org > ------------------------------------ > > This article is from the Winter 2001 edition of Fight > Back! / ¡Lucha y Resiste! newspaper. > > > Protests Rain On Bush Parade! > By Mick Kelly > > Washington D.C. - Tens of thousands joined > demonstrations here Jan. 20, turning the inauguration > of George Bush into a massive protest against his > administration and policies. Despite the cold and > rain, protesters came from hundreds of cities and > towns, including busloads from the Midwest who > traveled up to 24 hours to attend. > > Smaller demonstrations took place across the United > States and Europe - including protests that drew > thousands in San Francisco and Los Angeles. More than > 5000 people, some carrying the names of executed Texas > prisoners, marched in Paris, France. > > Bush's theft of the election, facilitated by a > systematic attack on the voting rights of African > Americans, has led to widespread anger across the > country. "Hail to the thief!" was a common chant at > the Jan. 20 protests, along with other slogans that > challenged the racist and reactionary Bush > administration. > > Members of the Congressional Black Caucus walked out > of the House of Representatives on Jan. 6, when the > Bush victory was certified. The NAACP and others > rallied Jan. 20 in Tallahassee, Florida, the epicenter > the electoral fraud. The inauguration day protests > were the largest since 1973. > > Bush On Run > > At the inauguration, eggs and tomatoes pelted the > motorcade carrying President Bush and other top > officials. Members of the Secret Service were forced > to run, as the presidential limousine sped up to pass > concentrations of demonstrators. > > Protesters outnumbered Bush backers at many points > along Pennsylvania Avenue. Supporters of the President > were dismayed and angry, some choosing to leave as the > protesters drowned out whatever cheers they could > muster. Other reactionaries - some men with shaved > heads wearing "FUK GORE" t-shirts, others wearing furs > and cowboy hats - feebly attempted to organize > pro-Bush rallies along the parade route. > > Protests at inauguration were organized by the > International Action Center, the National Organization > of Women, the National Action Network led by the > Reverend Al Sharpton, and a host of other > organizations. A large contingent of African Americans > came from Florida, many with signs saying, "Free > Florida's Black Voters." > > Right Wing Agenda > > "The road of President Bush is paved with poverty, > racist discrimination, attacks on the rights of women > and more wars," said Carolyn Connelly of the Colombia > Action Network. > > She continued "We're here today because the Bush > Administration is planning a war on the people at home > and abroad. Clinton organized a huge escalation of the > U.S. war in Colombia. Bush's appointees have made it > clear that they will continue and widen the war. We > need to do everything possible to get the U.S. out. > What we are seeing here are the beginnings of a > powerful movement that will confront the plans and > policies of Bush and company." > > Many demonstrators demanded the release of the jailed > revolutionary journalist, Mumia-Abu Jamal, a former > Black Panther who is on death row in Pennsylvania. > Others targeted police brutality and racial profiling, > which have reached epidemic proportions. > > A large contingent was organized by the National > Organization of Women in defense of reproductive > rights. > > Victory over Repression > > More than 7000 police from D.C. and the surrounding > area were mobilized for the inauguration - including > members of the National Guard. Snipers were placed on > the rooftops of Washington's buildings. A system of > checkpoints was set up, where police searched > demonstrators, while ushering Bush supporters directly > into the parade area. This meant waits of an hour or > more to get to protest sites along Pennsylvania > Avenue. > > There is no doubt that authorities had intended to > prevent protests at the site of the inauguration - as > indicated by the massive police mobilization, the > system of passes and checkpoints, and a refusal to say > what would be allowed where. Court battles in defense > of the right to protest took place right up until Jan. > 20. > > The strength of the Jan. 20 mobilization, the > relatively weak position of the incoming Bush > Administration, and the international spotlight that > was on D.C. created the conditions so the protests > could proceed. > > ______________________________________________________ > Fight Back! / ¡Lucha y Resiste! is a newspaper that > builds the people's struggle. We provide coverage and > analysis of some of the key battles facing working and > low-income people. This article can be reprinted, > copied or distributed as long as it is credited to > Fight Back!. Contact us at Fight Back!, PO Box > 582564, Minneapolis, MN 55440, USA. > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.fightbacknews.org > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices! http://auctions.yahoo.com/ > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > _______________________________________________ Marxist-Leninist-List mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/marxist-leninist-list
